Report of the Senate Committee on
University Planning

FOR APPROVAL

Recommended: That effective September 1, 1998, a Master of Clinical Science (MClSc) Program in
Occupational Therapy be introduced, and,

That the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy [BSc(OT)] Program be withdrawn as a result.

Background:

The proposed program is an initiative of the School of Occupational Therapy. The proposed
program is a two year professional program that will provide a post-baccalaureate, graduate level
qualification at the masters level for those wishing to seek accreditation as practising Occupational
Therapists. It will replace the current post-baccalaureate, second degree program leading to the degree of
BSc (OT), which in turn has recently replaced the first degree program leading to the BSc (OT). This reflects
changes in practice that require that Occupational Therapists receive a
graduate level education that
qualifies them as independent, self-directed practitioners capable of evidence based practice. Approval of
this program will mean that Western will be the first University in Canada to offer to professional masters
level education in Occupational Therapy. Other Universities are planning move their Occupational Therapy
programs to the graduate level, and this has already occurred in the U.S.A.

To be eligible for admission into the program students must possess a four year
undergraduate degree which includes senior undergraduate courses and completion of prerequisite courses in
Biology, Sociology or Anthropology, Statistics/Methodology, Abnormal Psychology, Normal Growth and
Development, and Physiology.

The faculty resources available to the program are the eleven faculty members in the School
of Occupational Therapy. Nine of these already have membership in the Faculty of Graduate Studies as a
result of their participation the MSc program in Occupational Therapy.

The anticipated enrolment in the program will be the same as in the current BSc (OT)
program, which is approximately 47 in each year of the two year program.

Degree requirements consist of mandatory graduate courses and a supervised research
project as outlined on Appendix 1 which is taken from pages 22-26 of the brief submitted for appraisal by the
Ontario Council on Graduate Studies. Versions of most of these courses have been developed as part of the
second entry BSc (OT) program which commenced in September 1997, and which will be replaced by the
proposed MClSc program. Two of the current BSc (OT) courses will be replaced by the supervised research
project.

The proposed program was approved by the Internal Appraisals Committee of the Faculty of
Graduate Studies (May 1998), the Graduate Planning and Policy Committee of Senate (May 1998), the
Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (June 1998) and SCUP (July 1998). SCAPA has also been consulted
about the withdrawal of the undergraduate program and informed that there will be no further graduates of
the BSc(OT) program.

Recommended: That effective September 1, 1998, a PhD program in Rehabilitation
Sciences be introduced.

Background:

The proposed program is a joint initiative of the Schools of Communications Sciences and
Disorders, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy with the collaboration of the Schools of Nursing and
Kinesiology. The proposed program seeks to establish a multi-disciplinary, research-based, academic
program which links disciplines in the area of health sciences known as Rehabilitation. There are only two
other such doctoral programs in Canada, one at McGill University and the other at the University of Alberta.

The program objectives are to educate students to a level that they can contribute to the
advancement of research and scholarship in Rehabilitation Sciences, and to provide society with graduates
qualified as academic scholars and researchers, advanced scientists-practitioners in treatment facilities, highly
qualified researchers in private industry, and expert research consultants to government ministries.

To be eligible for admission into the program students must possess a masters degree in
Communicative Disorders, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, or Rehabilitation Science, or related
discipline. Exceptional students may be considered for admission after completion of one year in these
masters programs as long as they demonstrate evidence of outstanding research ability.

The faculty resources available to the program include 25 faculty members from the Faculty
of Health Sciences with interests in the three fields of the program, namely Impairment, Disability and
Handicap. These faculty already have extensive experience in graduate teaching and supervision, primarily in
masters programs.

The anticipated enrolment in the program will be 5 new students a year leading to a steady
state total enrolment of approximately 20 students.

Degree requirements consist of three mandatory graduate courses (Perspectives in
Rehabilitation Sciences Seminar; Research Design in Rehabilitation Science; Philosophy of Science/Ethics), a
comprehensive examination, two research proposals (thesis prospectus and prospectus for work beyond the
thesis), and a doctoral thesis. The three mandatory courses are new graduate course offerings in the Faculty
of Health Sciences. Depending on the background of the student, additional graduate courses may be
required; these would be drawn from current graduate course offerings in the graduate programs in the
Faculty of Health Sciences.

The proposed program was approved by the Internal Appraisals Committee of the Faculty of
Graduate Studies in (July 1997), the Graduate Planning and Policy Committee of Senate (August 1997), the
Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (June 1998) and SCUP (July 1998).